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The ARRA funding provides for $100 million for the procurement and deployment of NII systems. No new positions or full time equivalents will be funded with this program increase.

Following the events of September 11, 2001, CBP’s reliance on NII technology to secure the borders became increasingly critical. Technologies deployed to our Nation’s land, sea, and air ports of entry include large-scale X-ray and imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies. NII technologies are viewed as force multipliers that enable screening or examining a large portion of the stream of commercial traffic while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade, cargo, and passengers.

The $100 million will support acquisition and deployment of:

• Large-Scale NII ($86.7 million):
  
  • 12 large-scale replacement systems for scanning containerized shipments and tractor trailer trucks/other vehicles at 6 sea Ports of Entry (POEs) and 6 land POEs ($36 million);
    
  • 5 large-scale high-energy systems for new ports ($15 million);
    
  • 24 low-energy mobile systems for scanning passenger vehicles (cars, RVs, and buses) at 10 LPOEs and 14 air POEs ($22.7 million); and
    
  • 10 low-energy portal systems for scanning tractor trailer trucks/other vehicles at 10 LPOEs ($13 million).

• Small-Scale NII ($13.3 million):
  
  • Additional small-scale equipment ($4.9 million); and
    
  • Replacement small-scale equipment ($8.4 million).

Of the $100 million, $87 million is for equipment purchases and $13 million is for other deployment/implementation services (facilitation/prep costs, training, and deployment support) along with program management and contractual services.

The cost and schedule for the ARRA activities are monitored and evaluated by the CBP NII project management staff on an on-going basis with additional CBP and DHS oversight and monitoring. Periodic reporting is monthly into the CBP and DHS systems. Part of the reporting includes earned value management (EVM) to evaluate the current status of the program and ensure the ARRA funding and activities are managed in accordance with the plan and milestones or that corrective action is taken.

Physical monitoring and verification of Large Scale NII (LS-NII) equipment is accomplished by an NII equipment Test Team adhering to the LS-NII Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) for completion of either a Government Factory or Site Acceptance Test (GFAT or GSAT) during system deployments. These systems must be inspected, accepted, and deployed by CBP. Small scale equipment deliveries are physically verified by CBP managers at the site where they are received.

CBP, through DHS, has a link at the www.recovery.gov web site that requires financial data related to ARRA funding to be submitted on a regular basis. CBP’s enterprise wide financial system, utilizing SAP software, integrates budget, accounting, procurement and property data. As a result we are in a strong position to quickly and accurately provide financial and performance data. The NII Systems program will provide its program cost and performance information through the Department. This program does not involve the utilization of grant processing and therefore, does not need to collect, compile, and disseminate grantee performance information.

CBP’s financial system and processes will provide a strong capability to measure performance against Recovery Act goals, in particular obligated, expended and undelivered measures. Consequently, we will be able to monitor our financial performance in an accurate and timely manner and identify any issues quickly. In addition, our system gives us the same ability to measure actual performance regarding competitive procurement activity.

The acquisition and deployment of non-intrusive inspection (NII) gamma and x-ray imaging systems will comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), and related statutes.

NEPA and Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA direct CBP to fully understand, and consider during decision making, the environmental consequences of proposed federal actions (projects). CBP policies related to environmental planning and historic preservation require compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, Executive Orders and DHS directives for the protection of the human and natural environment. In accordance with these requirements, CBP will comply with all environmental planning and historic preservation requirements for the proposed fielding and operating Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) imaging systems funded under ARRA.

CBP has determined that the majority of the recurring actions proposed for funding, and for which an environmental assessment is required, can be grouped by type of action or location. These groups of actions have been evaluated in a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) to comply with NEPA and its implementing regulations. The PEA for all NII imaging systems covers actions that are eligible for CBP funding for the acquisition, fielding, and operation of NII equipment for use at sea, air, and land ports of entry. Because actions proposed for funding under a PEA and the impacts of these actions can vary based on location and other site-specific criteria, CBP will prepare site-specific supplemental environmental documentation, Environmental Assessments or Records of Environmental Consideration, for each individual project covered by this PEA. This site-specific environmental planning documentation is tiered to the PEA.

Because NII imaging systems will be operated in industrial settings, CBP anticipates that the NII system will not have an impact on sites that are listed on, or potentially eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places. Each deployment site’s historic nature is researched as part of the supplemental environmental documentation. Research includes identifying and contacting all current and former historic groups connected with the sites to determine historic or archeological significance. However, if in the course of deploying and operating the NII system CBP discovers that historical or archeological resources could be impacted, project operations will be suspended and the appropriate authorities consulted.